


Moriarty and the Moss-Covered Rock

by ChrisCalledMeSweetie



Series: Children's Classics with a Johnlock Twist [30]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluffy sweetness, Humor, M/M, Magical Realism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrisCalledMeSweetie/pseuds/ChrisCalledMeSweetie
Summary: When Moriarty discovers a magic rock, he begins concocting nefarious schemes. Fortunately, Sherlock and John have some tricks of their own.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Children's Classics with a Johnlock Twist [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/572665
Comments: 30
Kudos: 64





	Moriarty and the Moss-Covered Rock

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DaisyFairy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyFairy/gifts), [PatPrecieux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatPrecieux/gifts).



> Based on the African folktale "Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock"

Late one afternoon, Moriarty was walking through a remote part of Hampstead Heath when something caught his eye. It was a strange, moss-covered rock.

“Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock,” Moriarty said aloud.

FLOOMPH! Moriarty collapsed, unconscious.

When he awoke, the sun was just beginning to rise. Moriarty stood up and looked around, confused.

“What happened?” he asked himself. “I was walking along, when something caught my eye. So I said, ‘Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock—”

FLOOMPH! Moriarty collapsed, unconscious.

When he awoke, it was late afternoon once more. Moriarty felt even more confused.

“Am I imagining things?” he asked himself. “First it was afternoon, and then it seemed like morning, but now it’s afternoon again.”

Moriarty looked at his phone. The time did not surprise him, but the date did. It was three days after he’d started his walk.

“Something very peculiar is going on,” Moriarty said aloud. “Three days ago, I was walking along, when something caught my eye. So I said, ‘Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock—”

FLOOMPH! Moriarty collapsed, unconscious.

When he awoke, the sun was just beginning to rise once more. Moriarty checked his phone. It was now the morning of the fifth day. 

“Aha!” Moriarty said to himself. “I know what’s happening. This must be a magic rock. Whenever someone comes along and says the magic words — ‘Isn’t this a hmm, hmm-hmmhmm hmm’ — they fall asleep, and don’t wake up for a day and a half. This is a good thing to know. And I know just how to use it…”

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

It wasn’t long before the kidnappings began. One after another, people who went walking alone on the Heath disappeared. A day later, whoever was first on their speed dial would receive a call demanding ransom. Once the money had been left at the specified location, the victim would be released, unharmed.

Detective Inspector Lestrade was baffled. The people being targeted didn’t have anything in common. Some were old, some were young. Some were men, some were women. Some were wealthy, some were poor. There didn’t seem to be a pattern.

So, Lestrade did what he always did whenever he couldn’t solve a case on his own: he called Sherlock. And Sherlock did what he always did whenever Lestrade gave him a case: he talked it over with John.

“A serial kidnapper, John!” said Sherlock, excitedly. “This is almost as good a serial killer.”

“It’s better than a serial killer,” said John, “because no one is being murdered. In fact, no one is being harmed at all.”

“That’s true,” said Sherlock. “Each of the victims has been unconscious for 36 hours, but why? They haven’t been drugged. They haven’t been hit over the head. As you say, they haven’t been harmed in any way. This is a puzzle — and I love a good puzzle. But I need more evidence.” 

“I know how to collect more evidence for you,” said John. “I’ll go walking alone on the Heath until I’m abducted. Then, you’ll get a call demanding ransom. Between the two of us, we’re sure to pick up a clue the others have missed.”

“You’ll have to be careful,” said Sherlock.

“I will,” said John.

“And clever,” said Sherlock.

“Yes,” said John.

“And observant,” said Sherlock.

“I’ve learned from the best,” said John.

“All right,” said Sherlock. “It’s a plan.”

“Give me a kiss for luck,” said John.

“You don’t need luck — you’ve got your gun,” said Sherlock.

“Give me a kiss for courage, then,” said John.

“You don’t need courage — you’re already the bravest man I know,” said Sherlock.

“Well, then, give me a kiss for love,” said John.

“That I can do,” said Sherlock. And he did.

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

John went walking on the Heath. He walked in the morning. He was not kidnapped. He walked in the afternoon. He was not kidnapped. He walked in the sunshine. He was not kidnapped. He walked in the fog. He was not kidnapped. Still, every day, John went walking, walking, walking on the Heath.

Finally, one day, when he was walking through a particularly remote part of the Heath, something caught John’s eye. It was a strange, moss-covered rock. He stopped to give it a closer look.

Moriarty, who had been lurking nearby, came up to John. 

“What are you looking at?” asked Moriarty.

“Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock?” said John.

FLOOMPH! John collapsed, unconscious.

Moriarty giggled. “It works every time!” he said gleefully. “Whenever someone comes along and says the magic words — ‘Isn’t this a hmm, hmm-hmmhmm hmm’ — they fall asleep, and don’t wake up for a day and a half. That gives me plenty of time to move them to a secure location, call the first number on their speed dial, and collect my ransom. I wonder how much money I can get for this one…”

Moriarty scooped John up and carried him away, still giggling to himself.

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Two days later, John was safely back at Baker Street. He and Sherlock were sitting on the sofa, listening to a recording of the abduction.

“I didn’t know you’d sewn a voice-activated recording device into the collar of my jacket,” said John.

“Well, you can’t be too careful,” said Sherlock.

“True,” said John.

“Or too clever,” said Sherlock.

“True,” said John.

“Or too observant,” said Sherlock.

“True,” said John.

“Let’s listen to this one more time,” said Sherlock. 

He pressed play. Moriarty’s voice filled the room.

“What are you looking at?” asked Moriarty.

“Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock?” said John.

There was a soft thud, as John’s body hit the ground.

Moriarty giggled. “It works every time!” he said gleefully. “Whenever someone comes along and says the magic words — ‘Isn’t this a hmm, hmm-hmmhmm hmm’ — they fall asleep, and don’t wake up for a day and a half.”

Sherlock stopped the playback. “Could it really be magic?” he asked.

“Well, I wasn’t drugged, or hit over the head, or harmed in any way. And I did collapse and remain unconscious for 36 hours as soon as I said those words. So I think it must be,” said John.

“Could you tell me exactly how to find that rock?” Sherlock asked.

“Yes,” said John.

“Then I have a plan,” said Sherlock. “I’m going out on the Heath. Give me a kiss for luck.”

“You don’t need luck — you’ve got your brain,” said John.

“Give me a kiss for courage, then,” said Sherlock.

“You don’t need courage — you’re already the bravest man I know,” said John.

“Well, then, give me a kiss for love,” said Sherlock.

“That I can do,” said John. And he did.

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Following John’s directions, Sherlock quickly found the strange, moss-covered rock. He stopped to give it a closer look.

Moriarty, who had been lurking nearby, came up to Sherlock. 

“What are you looking at?” asked Moriarty.

“Isn’t this a beautiful day?” said Sherlock.

“Yes,” said Moriarty. “But don’t you see something peculiar?”

“Oh, yes,” said Sherlock. “Isn’t this a strange, grass-covered hillside?”

“I suppose,” said Moriarty. “But don’t you see something more peculiar?”

“Oh, yes,” said Sherlock. “Isn’t this a strange, vine-covered oak?”

“I suppose,” said Moriarty. “But don’t you see something even more peculiar?”

“No,” said Sherlock. “I don’t see anything else.”

“What about this?” Moriarty said, pointing at the rock.

“What?” asked Sherlock.

“This rock,” said Moriarty, pointing more emphatically.

“What about it?” asked Sherlock.

“Isn’t this a strange, moss-covered rock?” demanded Moriarty.

FLOOMPH! Moriarty collapsed, unconscious.

“Interesting,” said Sherlock. “John was right. It was magic, after all.”

Sherlock scooped Moriarty up and carried him away, giggling to himself.

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

After turning Moriarty over to Lestrade, Sherlock returned to Baker Street. John was waiting for him.

“You solved the case,” said John.

“Obviously,” said Sherlock.

“And caught the kidnapper,” said John.

“Of course,” said Sherlock.

“And it really was magic, wasn’t it?” said John.

“Yes,” said Sherlock. “It was.”

“Give me a kiss for being right about the magic,” said John.

“I don’t want to encourage your fanciful thinking,” said Sherlock.

“Give me a kiss for helping you solve the case, then,” said John.

“You always help me solve the cases,” said Sherlock.

“Well, then, give me a kiss for love,” said John.

“That I can do,” said Sherlock. And he did.

**Author's Note:**

> Kind comments and kudos are MAGIC!


End file.
